Innovation in tourism firms

The aim of this research was to identify the degree to which internal and external variables influence innovativeness. With this objective we address a significant gap in tourism research as, although the importance of innovation is widely recognized, open questions remain about measurement for services and, in particular, for the tourism industry. With data from a comparative study of Australia, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland we identify factors that enable innovation outputs and processes for tourism providers. We review the relevant literature and analyse quantitative data of survey respondents to our international questionnaire. Results determine those internal and external factors that stimulate innovativeness and innovative behaviour.